Monday, December 30, 2019

Analysis And Comparison Of Four Management Activities Business Essay - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 13 Words: 3852 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Compare and contrast essay Did you like this example? This essay examines the importance of the role and activities of a Human Resource Manager in medium large organisations in the UK and shows how the role and FOUR of the main activities of a line manager compare and contrast with the Human Resource Managers strategic and operational role and in the four activities chosen. In the essay the author provides theoretical and practical examples from wider reading of text books, journals, experience in work, the Internet and UK business organisations to support the examination of these managing people at work good practices in people management activities. The Times Top 100 UK Companies and the FTSE list were used for practical examples of good practice and its link to theory. The four activities chosen are Recruitment and Selection, Training and Development, Managing Performance and Motivation. Contents Introduction 6 Main findings 7 I. The importance of the role of HR manager in medium-large UK organisations 7 I I. The activities and role of Line(LN) Manager 7 III. Context analysis 8 IV. Recruitment Selection(RS) 8 a. Key concepts 8 b. Main theories 9 c. Key models 9 d. Good Practise examples 10 V. Training and Development(TD) 10 a. Key concepts 10 b. Main theories 11 c. Key models 11 d. Techniques of analysis 12 e. Practical examples 12 VI. Motivation 13 a. Key concepts 13 b. Main theories 13 c. Key models 13 d. Practical examples 14 VII. Managing Performance(MP) 14 a. Key concepts 14 b. Main theories 15 c. Key models 16 d. Practical examples 16 Conclusions 18 Bibliography 19 Appendix 1-PEST SWOT analysis 21 Appendix 2- The recruitment and selection model 23 Appendix 3- Learning and Development model 24 Appendix 4- Motivation model 25 Appendix 5- The performance management sequence 26 Acronyms HR Introduction Lefkothea has a degree in Information Technology (IT) and a 10 years working exper ience in the IT field. She works as a Network Operations Centre (NOC) technician in a medium-scale Greek University and for the past year she is on study leave in order to do her MSc. Before moving to UK, she had worked for 2 years as an IT consultant for the Greek deputy Minister of the Interior. She considers that she has a relatively good experience of being a line manager and a good sense of managing peoples behaviour, as her job most of the time included the management of small groups of people (i.e. other IT technicians and contractors). In Greece, were she was born and raised, the concept of HR (Human Resource) management is still not very popular and it is now growing and expanding as an idea and practise. However, this essay is her attempt to comprehend and present the basic concepts of HR management in the UK and hopefully this study will contribute to the improvement of her management skills. She believes that having all square pegs in square holes, the continuous trai ning and development of professionals, the motivation of employees and finally their performance management are the four most important HRM activities which will be discussed in this essay. Main findings (Word Count=3,467) The importance of the role of HR manager in medium-large UK organisations The role of HR practitioners in an organisation can vary widely depending on the level of the hierarchy they are involved. In general terms though, their role is supportive and advisory to other managers[Haffner,2010a]. HR professionals can play different roles in an organisation. Sometimes, they have to facilitate changes or adjustments (change agents), other times they have to work in analysing problems and proposing solutions (internal consultants), while other times they have to play the service delivery role for line managers, team leaders and employees. Above all, they have to be the guardians of the organisations values and ethics[Armstrong, 2009]. When HR managers are inv olved in a strategic level they are likely to participate in the decision- making process. The strategic role of HR managers is about the formulation and implementation of HR management strategies that are aligned to business objectives and contribute to the development of business strategies. However, when HR professionals play the business partner role then they share responsibility and work closely with line managers providing an everyday basis support[Armstrong,2009]. The importance of HR managers role in medium- large organisations relies on the impact that HR strategies have on performance. HRM does not impact directly on the organisational performance. All organisations are influenced by the internal and external environment(contingency theory- PEST/SWOT), however, HRM practices make an impact on employees characteristics; these characteristics can improve performance and achieve better financial results[Armstrong, 2009]. The activities and role of Line(LN) Manager O n the other hand, the primary role of LN managers is to take all the decisions in their department[Haffner,2010a]. Typically their management responsibilities would include managing people and operational costs, providing technical expertise, checking quality and measuring operational performance, however, in many organisations LN managers now have to carry out traditionally HR activities. Furthermore, the LN manager role is crucial especially in areas where, although the process may be designed by HR, it cannot be delivered by HR[CIPD,2010a]. More importantly, LN managers have to build a good working relationship with their staff and create effective teams, have to guide and support employees and finally encourage discretionary behaviour which will result in higher performance. However, because it is not enough to educate LN managers in higher quality management, organisations should also develop the environment and culture in which LN managers are actively encouraged to exhibit the above behaviours[CIPD,2010a]. Context analysis At this point it is important to describe the context in which this essay will be deployed. In the Appendix 1 there is a detailed PEST analysis for the Food retailers industry. The subjective weighting results(+15) indicate that the industry is in good shape, and that the economic climate has influenced it positively[Haffner,2010a]. The Tescos SWOT analysis(-10) on the other hand(Appendix1), implies that the company still has margins for improvement[Ivoryresearch,2010]. Although Tesco has invested in different countries and markets, risking at the same time its profits and capital, still depends on the UK market, thus being vulnerable to its changes and exposed to market concentration risk'[Ivoryresearch,2010]. Their general strategy at this point is growth; however the recent changes in the UK food retail arena (Wal-mart purchased Asda) threatened the companys rank as the top UK supermarket. Tesco expands into different s ervices and retailing areas, nevertheless they need to consider the good PEST analysis and emphasize on recruitment, training, motivation and performance management methods that will be aligned to an international profile and fortify the companys position abroad[Ivoryresearch,2010]. Recruitment Selection(RS) Key concepts The procedure of RS aims firstly, through a fair, efficient and cost effective process, to obtain a pool of suitable candidates for vacant posts'[Haffner,2010b,p.7] and secondly to apply appropriate techniques and methods for selecting, appointing and inducting competent persons for these vacant posts. The ultimate cause of this act is to discover and employ people, who will fit the business strategy and contribute in achieving the organisations SMART objectives[Haffner,2010b]. The HRM approach to resourcing includes the concepts of Human Resource Planning(HRP) and Human Capital Management(HCM), which aim to create a flexible and productive workforce that will contribute to the organisations competitive advantage[Haffner,2010b]. Main theories Two main theories, both emphasising on the fit between the person and the job environment'[Haffner,2010b,p.15], have been developed regarding the RS methods, the traditional and the processual one. The first one reasonably supports that choosing the right people for the right positions helps an organisation to avoid major problems that may emerge like labour turnover, absenteeism and low productivity. The second one is based on fixed dimensions of both the job and the person, with the organisations management having the sole prerogative to determine the fit'[Haffner,2010b,p15]. Organisations dont have to choose strictly between the two approaches, a mixture of the them can produce a more effective and efficient one[Haffner,2010b]. Key models The HR and LN managers share different but complementary roles in the RS procedure. HR managers design the fair policies and procedures and advi ce other managers on the law aspects of RS[Haffner,2010a]. Especially during the interview process, HR managers assure that the sex, race and disability discriminations Acts and the Age Discrimination Regulations will be considered[Armstrong,2009]. LN managers on the other hand, act more practically by creating the job analysis/descriptions and by carrying out the interviews always under the auspices of HR managers[Haffner,2010a]. However, it is important for all managers and team leaders to be trained in interviewing techniques[Armstrong,2009]. The RS model, depicted in Appendix 2, is based on the traditional approach. The table below summarises the basic steps of the model and the involvement of HR and LN managers in every step of the procedure. Clearly, the HR and LN managers will be both functional but the HR Manager or Department will develop the strategies in line with good practice'[Haffner,2010b,p.11]. Table 1: RS the basic steps of the RS procedure and HR LN managers involvement[Haffner,2010a] Action Good Practise examples Recruiting and selecting the right people is of paramount importance for medium-large companies in the UK. Through their RS Policy they try to ensure that the best people are recruited and the recruitment process is free from bias and discrimination. The job description plays a critical role. For example, BT aims to create a high-performing, engaged and motivated team who can make a difference for the customers, the shareholders, the company and themselves'[BT,2009]. They also consider that the quality of leadership is vital for the company[BT,2009]. On the other hand, for GSK, every years recruiting and retaining procedures are critical for enhancing and sustaining their performance and reputation'[GSK,2009]. They are more focused on talent acquisition initiatives'[GSK,2009] in order to attract specialists and they have good succession plans for all the critical positions across the organisation[GSK,2009]. Trai ning and Development(TD) Key concepts Learning for employees is a continuous process that mostly arises informally through work(informal learning). The further aim is for employees to be equipped with the right skills, knowledge and competences in order to undertake current and future tasks'[Haffner,2010b,p.22]. Training, on the other hand, is a systematic and planned activity to promote learning and when it is formally performed ensures that the defined needs are met[Armstrong,2009]. However, whether learning and training are effective and efficient depends on employees personal development plan which relies on their confidence, capability, motivation and the guidance they get from their managers. Organisations performance and strategy are related to the concepts of learning culture and the learning organisation. Both of them should be integrated with the achievement of business objectives and human resource strategies and should be taking into account the needs and the as piration of people for growth and development[Armstrong,2009]. Each organisation should support processes which ensure that all individuals and teams have equal opportunities in TD. Main theories Two main and contradicting theories exist about the investment on Human Capital(HC), in terms of training and developing employees. From one hand, successful organisations achieve their strategic objectives by supporting the theory that trained and developed employees add more value to an organisation'[Haffner,2010b,p.26]. On the other hand, criticism of the learning organisation outlines that its major weakness is that it seems to pay less attention on what or how individuals want to learn and therefore might not be accomplishing the desired results[Armstrong,2009]. Armstrong supports that establishing a link between learning and organisational performance is problematic because it is difficult to distinguish between cause and effect'[Armstrong,2009,p.659], contradicting studies t hat advocate that a well-designed training programme can be linked to improvements in business results. However, it looks that the impact of TD on performance can be measured by using the return on the investment formula: (benefits from training ()-costs of training ())/(costs of training ()) ?100 [Armstrong,2009,p.696] Key models The activities of the HR manager, regarding the TD, are mostly about planning and administering the procedure according to the organisations strategic plan[Haffner,2010a]. The HR Development is basically led by the competences and the motivation of employees, the HR managers though play a vital role in persuading the employer to release resources for this activity'[Haffner,2010b,p.21], by arranging training and development programmes and monitoring the whole process[Haffner,2010b]. The promotion of learning is considered an important aspect of LN managers responsibilities as well. They have a key role in facilitating learning by conducting perf ormance and development reviews'[Armstrong,2009,p.689] and helping their staff to implement their personal development plans through coaching and mentoring[Armstrong,2009]. The table below summarises the activities and the involvement of HR and LN managers on the systematic TD model depicted in Appendix 3. Table 2: the involvement of HR and LN managers in the TD model[Haffner,2010b] Action Techniques of analysis There are two techniques of analysis for training and developing people. The first one is the Learning Curve, which refers to the time it takes an inexperienced person to reach the level of performance on the job or the task'[Haffner,2010b,p.27]. The second one is the Forgetting Curve which depicts the degeneration of performance through time. Each employee has its own learning and forgetting curves and all the TD programmes should consider this diversity and assure that every individual has equal opportunities in the process[Haffner,2010b]. Practical examp les Organisations like BT and Tesco are committed to developing their people and provide their staff with training programmes and personal development planning. Furthermore BT, in order to improve their customer service performance they encourage people to volunteer in communities and even work with other organisations. Finally, GSK launched a mentoring scheme where each senior leader mentors at least one individual[BT,2009][Tesco,2009][GSK,2009]. Motivation Key concepts Motivation, described as a goal-directed behaviour, is a key concept for management and is related to almost every activity managers perform. There are two types of motivations, the intrinsic and the extrinsic. The first one can arise from the self-generated factors that influence peoples behaviour'[Armstrong,2009,p.318]. Employees can be self-motivated when they feel that their work is important, challenging, fulfilling and provides reasons for further development. The second type of motivation includes rewards such as payment, praise, promotion but punishments as well[Armstrong,2009,p.318]. The methods and techniques of motivation should be described in the organisations HRM Strategy. Motivation is mostly about setting SMART objectives for people either tangible or intangible. Therefore, well-motivated people are people who are willing to put effort in order to achieve their own SMART objectives contributing at the same time to the organisations performance[Armstrong,2009]. Main theories Many theories have been developed regarding how and why people are motivated. Some of them are about satisfying needs(Maslow), others about peoples expectancy for rewards(Expectance) and some others are about bi-polar employees(McGregor). The most interesting one, the goal theory, which implies total and integrated involvement of LN and HR managers, supports that SMART objectives play an important part in determining work behaviour and performance. Setting realistic objectives, providing feedback and involving employees in setting these objectives are principles associated with high performance[Haffner,2010d]. Key models The role of HR manager in the motivation function is to design fair policies related to performance which will provide challenges and motivate staff across the organisation'(motivation strategy)[Haffner,2010a,p.19]. The role of LN manager though involves more practical functions like the implementation of organisational policies and keeping the motivation high[Haffner,2010a]. The motivation model, in Appendix 4, depicts the theory developed by Porter and Lawler. This theory suggests that the effort that will be expended in a given situation depends on the value of the rewards and on the individuals expectations. Effort though, is effective if produces the desired performance. The theory advocates that two variables affect effort, the ability and the role perceptions which have to be coincidental between the individual and the organisation[ Armstrong,2009]. The table below is based on the Armstrongs HR contribution on motivation list[Armstrong,2010,p.330-331) and outlines the involvement of HR and LN managers in motivation. The bi-polar technique of analysis was used for creating this table. Table 3: HR and LN activities in motivation functions HR manager Practical examples Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust motivates employees within the Framework for Partnership Agreement to develop a culture of involvement and a framework for change in behaviour and practice'[NHSpartners,2007]. A research conducted for the NHS about the importance of involvement to organisational performance proved that the trusts initiative helped to improved employees relations and resulted in significant reduction in disciplinarians and grievances cases[NHSpartners,2007]. Organizations offering a positive culture and a learning environment have more satisfied employees who are motivated to perform better. Every employee, in Ke lloggs, has an individual development plan, while 80% of Napps employees think that working for the company is good for personal growth and find their training of great personal benefit[TimesOnLine,2010a][TimesOnLine,2010b]. Managing Performance(MP) Key concepts Performance management(PM), as a means of getting better results within an agreed framework, should focus on two objectives, firstly to ensure that people are motivated to perform and secondly to support a personal development programme for everyone[Haffner,2010c]. PM operates as a continuous cycle and is about establishing a culture. In order to be efficient and effective it should be strategic, integrated with the corporate strategy and should incorporate with performance improvement, development and managing behaviour[Armstrong,2009]. The performance appraisal is the first basic component of PM. Effective and efficient systems rely upon the precision in the definition and measurement of performance. Most emplo yees want direction, freedom to get their work done, and encouragement not control'[Haffner,2010c,p.6] and consider fairness and natural justice as the most important assets. Performance appraisal should be objective, based upon job analysis and should be taking into consideration the diversity and individuality of staff[Haffner,2010c]. The second component of PM, the reward management, is a strategic task which includes the concepts of reward policies/procedures and payment systems. Managing rewards is largely about managing expectations'[Haffner,2010c,p.22], which could be expressed either by contracts of employment or by relational contracts. Once these contracts are in place, employees should be motivated towards improved performance. Finally, each organisations payment strategy is shaped after the negotiations between employers and trade unions and is mostly affected by the organisations/industry context. Main theories When performance is managed effectively and effici ently the organisation will be more able to achieve its strategic objectives and its employees will be motivated and thus retained longer'[Haffner,2010c,p.4]. PM is underpinned by three main theories. The theory that connects goals to performance outcomes(goal theory), the theory that pays attention to feedback as a means of shaping behaviour(control theory) and the theory that is base on the central concept of self-efficancy(cognitive theory)[Armstrong,2009]. Finally, measuring performance, the basis for generating feedback, is an important concept in PM. All jobs produce outcomes, therefore it is possible to measure performance by reference to what outcomes have been attained in comparison with what outcomes were expected'[Armstrong,2009,p.623]. Most performance management schemes include some form of rating which indicates the quality of performance or competence achieved[Armstrong,2009]. Key models The involvement of HR managers in this activity is mostly in designing a nd monitoring of the performance management system'[Haffner,2010a,p.19], integrating it with the corporate mission with an emphasis on preserving the rewards relative to competitors. LN managers on the other hand may be more involved in negotiating with their staff and trade unions or dealing with pay and reward grievances'[Haffner,2010a,p.19] but mostly they are involved in the performance appraisal process. However, PA often is considered a dishonest annual ritual'[Armstrong,2009,p.619] because either LN managers are not interested or they dont have the skills for doing it. The table below summarises the involvement of HR and LN managers in the basic steps of the PM activity, as it is depicted in the performance management model in Appendix 5 adopted by Haffner with a few alterations. The bi-polar technique of analysis has been used for creating this table. Table 4: LN and HR managers involvement in PM Action Practical examples BT conducts a review of salaries every year. The company apart from giving bonuses to managers, their long-term incentives are linked to BTs total shareholder return performance measured over a period of three years'[BT,2009]. Employees outside the UK receive an annual award of free BT shares or a cash equivalent while in the UK, employees receive free broadband[BT,2009]. For GSK the performance and development planning process means employees have business-aligned objectives and behavioural goals'[GSK,2009]. Their reward systems motivate high performance and help to attract and retain the best people'[GSK,2009]. The company uses performance-based payment, bonuses and share-based equity plans[GSK,2009]. The United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust improved the appraisals procedure by using an e-learning training programme. The Medical Appraisals Programme has made it easier to update new doctors on the appraisal system, to train medical staff who wish to become appraisers and generally improved the quality of appra isals carried out across the Trust[NHSpartners,2007]. Conclusions The analysis and comparison of the four selected activities indicate that both LN and HR managers play different but important roles for organisations. However, in the business world, everything is about performance, effectiveness and efficiency. The question is what is the impact of HR or LN managers activities and roles on the organisations competitive advantage and on the achievements of SMART objectives? Up to now though, the HRM does not belong only to specialists but belongs to every manager who gets results through people. Still though, it is difficult for HR managers to gain the support and commitment of LN managers, who need to be assured that every proposal will lead to better results without additional burdens. LN managers are the front line soldiers for organisations. They play the strongest part in structuring peoples actual experience, they influence discretionary behaviour and they play a pi votal role in enacting HR policies and practices. When employees develop a good relationship with their LN managers are more likely to have higher levels of commitment and loyalty, thus perform better. The introduction of HR practices in the business, on the other hand, is related to the life quality improvements people have been experiencing the last century. The position of the HR managers in organisations is about to change over the next years as employees will demand and gain more rights for fairness, equal opportunities and justice. Over the next years the business world will realise even more that its power is relying on the investment in Human Capital and that assuring that people operate in a secure and satisfactory environment will contribute to organisations prosperity. Don’t waste time! 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Sunday, December 22, 2019

How Aldous Huxley And Ralph Ellison - 1307 Words

Social, cultural elements, and political ideals often influence how literature is written and stated during that specific time period. Political, culture, and social elements defined how Aldous Huxley and Ralph Ellison wrote their popular books Brave New World and Invisible Man. These factors include lust, advancement of technology, and racism. Aldous Huxley was a British writer and philosopher born in Godalming, England on July 26, 1894 and wrote the famed book Brave New World. This author lived through the time period in which Henry Ford helped expand, manufacturing, and create new ideas. These ideas and goods were quickly made in mass quantity and steadily progressed. This caused Huxley to incorporate a rather extreme viewpoint of his†¦show more content†¦No, I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allan Poe; nor am I one of your hollywood-movie ectoplasms. I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids -- and I might even be said to possess a mind. I am invisible, understand,simply because people refuse to see me†(Ralph Ellison - Invisible Man). Why would no one see him? Well the time period he wrote this is 1945 and he did not even have the right to vote. When he says this he means that he is not in fact invisible its just that people ignore him because their prejudice. Another example of this is when he meets some new people and they force him into a ring with other African American males blindfolded and told to viciously fight. In the book it quotes â€Å" The smoke was agonizing and there were no rounds, no bells at three-minute intervals to relieve our exhaustion. The room spun around me, a swirl of lights, smoke, sweating bodies surrounded by tense white faces. I bled from nose to mouth, the blood splattering upon my chest.†(Ralph Ellison - Invisible Man). This part of the book shows how twisted and how bad it is in the current location. All of this is happening just because of the skin color of the African Americans. Not only does that quote show the vile way they are being treated, but this quote speaks of African Americans crawling over a electrocuted matt to get money or as they say in the book â€Å"a yellow coin†.â€Å"I lunged for a yellow coin lying on the blue designShow MoreRelated Comparing Invisible Man and Brave New World Essay3518 Words   |  15 PagesComparing Invisible Man and Brave New World      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Both Ellison’s The Invisible Man and Aldous Huxleys Brave New World are political in nature, and at this level, seem completely dissimilar. The Invisible Man attempts to illuminate the social entrapment of Black Americans, while Brave New World cautions against an over-reliance on technology and the amorality it can potentially inspire. At a deeper level, however, both books are also about the status of the individual in society, and it is

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Brain research and full day kindergarten Free Essays

string(134) " children as active learners, not jugs waiting to be filled or blank slates waiting to be written upon \(Handelman, Auerbach 2000, p\." Education is an important aspect of the human life and society. Today, it is quite noticeable how the society has institutionalized education and the educational system. Today, individuals start schooling as early as four or five years of age. We will write a custom essay sample on Brain research and full day kindergarten or any similar topic only for you Order Now The common entry point for schooling is kindergarten. All around the world, many parents send their children to schools for kindergarten, with many different expectations, but mostly in the belief that this is a solid starting point that can help the child be ready for the next step in his or her education. Over the years, kindergarten has become increasingly important, especially during the time when researchers have found out the connection on dendrite growth and academic stimulation. This made them believe that if individuals are submitted to academic stimulation in the earliest time possible, this can impact significantly his mental faculty and capacity. Brain development has been responsible for the new perspective and approach to kindergarten leading the change and shift from half day to full day. However, it appears that in analysis, even with the merit of this model hypothetically, unanimous approval and appreciation for this scheme is still to be achieved considering how sectors of the society are reacting differently and in varied fashion regarding this issue. This is an important aspect of discussion and exploration regarding full day kindergarten scheme and the brain development premise. History Kindergarten Kindergarten came to America from Germany, the term meaning children’s garden. Friedrich Froebel and Margethe Meyer Schurz are two of the leading personalities who began the practice of kindergarten (Persky, Golubchick, 1991, p. 263). As the name implies, it refers to a system and a place wherein children are brought together and is being prepared for formal schooling. Kindergarten, as a form of preparatory stage, at first, was focused on making children possess sufficient social skills to allow them to interact correctly with other individuals during formal schooling. Kindergarten education prepares them by teaching basic things which they will need in formal schooling and will serve as foundation of what they will learn and how they will learn in formal schooling. Kindergarten eventually spread all around the world. Educators working in kindergarten follow learning models as well as educational theories that make the kindergarten experience useful and constructive for the child. Kindergarten originally was just a half day session, with educators thinking that half a day is enough schooling for individuals this age (Persky, Golubchick, 1991, p. 263). This was changed when scientists put forward the discovery involving the brain and its development (Eden, 2008, p. 214). During this stage and age, the role of intervention and the resulting conclusion that if this was the case, then it is important that the child is correctly and sufficiently prepared, therefore the shift from half day to all-day or full day or whole day kindergarten scheme. Half day to full day kindergarten From purely being half-day sessions, changes and developments and new perspectives regarding kindergarten education surfaced and resulted in the change from half day to all-day or whole day sessions. There were two important factors that led to the shift from half day to whole day or all-day kindergarten – the scientific basis and the practical basis. No one knows for sure which came first. Is the practical need for all-day kindergarten inspired researchers to look at any possible scientific credence this option might possess? Or was it the other way around and was a case of scientific intuition among professionals leading to the discovery of the scientific basis for all day kindergarten? This, in turn, made parents realize that besides the scientific basis, this option also has practical significance for them and the children that support and popularity for all-day kindergarten grew especially across America, as well as in other parts of the world. Regardless of this chicken-and-egg condition, it is nonetheless important to discuss both aspects affecting the creation of and the shaping of all-day kindergarten as it is known to day. a. Scientific basis – The main artery of the shift from half day to all day or whole day kindergarten is based on the discovery on the brain, in particular, the development that is happening in the brain when it is being subjected to academic stimulation at an early age. Professionals who were involved in this scientific study explain that dendrites grew when under academic stimulation. Dendrites are found in the brain. They are important in the learning ability and processes of the human beings. Their development is important in the mental faculty of an individual. In layman’s terms, the growth and branching out of dendrites indicate active mental practices and exercises which in turn allows for improved processes of the mental faculty or thinking. Professionals as well as neuroscientists have already connected the growth and branching out of dendrites when under academic stimulation. This is proof that when the brain is exposed to academic stimulation or learning process especially in the early formative years, the physiological make up of the individual, particularly the brain develops and adjusts depending on what it is being subjected to. Therefore the child’s mind is subjected to longer academic stimulation that can be an important factor for mental growth and capability in the future. This is the main premise of the scientific basis of the full day kindergarten scheme. Professionals argue that it is important that â€Å"we must look at our children’s entry point into education (Miller, Gore, 2007, p. 140). † â€Å"New research into brain development demonstrates that the first three years of a child’s life are extremely critical for her emotional and intellectual growth (Miller, Gore, 2007, p. 140)† which necessitated the need for â€Å"all day kindergarten programs (Miller, Gore, 2007, p. 140). † People involved in it – Educators, psychologists, neuroscientists and different professionals have been involved in the studies leading to this particular discovery and in the creation of a new perspective in kindergarten. â€Å"Today’s early childhood educators recognize children as active learners, not jugs waiting to be filled or blank slates waiting to be written upon (Handelman, Auerbach 2000, p. You read "Brain research and full day kindergarten" in category "Free Research Paper Samples" 4). † Individuals like David Sousa as well as many other professionals came forward in support of this new notion regarding brain development and the need for a whole day kindergarten schedule and the merits of this kind of scheme. Professionals explain that it is understandable why such discovery was only made today because of many important considerations, one of which is the ethical as well as technological considerations on the ability of the human to understand the brain. In the past and without the technology for non-invasive and ethical brain study procedures, scientists are left with the one and only option available for them – to study brains from dead people. This option left them with very limited areas of research and study, and no prospect at all at studying the human brain while it is still alive and in motion. However, because of the current technology and scientific processes and abilities available to scientists today, the brain is now accessible for exploration in such a way that it is not unethical, immoral and non-invasive. This led the scientists to what they recently discovered about dendrite activity and its connection with academic stimulation. b. Practical basis – Besides the scientific basis, there is also the practical basis that was used by parents and educators in approving the full day scheme. This has something to do with the current family and parent socio-economic and socio-cultural conditions. Economy has made it a necessity for both parents to work at the same time. This allows the parents money to send their children to good schools which they hope can look after their children while they are at work. Parents believe that full day kindergarten is like hitting two birds with one stone. First, their child is exposed to extended periods of studying and education and has limited time for other things that are harmful to the child in the long run like watching television, for example. At the same time, parents are more assured of their child’s safety and well being since they are at school, attended by teachers who are trained to handle children. While this does not fully eliminate the use of nanny or a household helper, parents believe that besides the children, parents are also benefited in particular, specific ways through this scheme (Lerner, Jacobs, Wertlieb, 2003, p. 202). â€Å"Full day kindergarten was introduced to speak to the needs of the growing number of working parents who wanted their children to be looked after for the whole day (Lerner, Jacobs, Wertlieb, 2003, p. 202). † Full day kindergarten today Today, many schools all around the United States, as well as in many other different countries that feature kindergarten in their school and education system, use the all-day or whole day kindergarten scheme. It adheres to the idea presented by scientists, psychologists and educators who believe that exposing children to longer educational experiences at school can help improve the mind and improve the capacity of the individual for learning and mental processes in the future. The full day kindergarten scheme has attracted many supporters who called for the institutionalization of full day kindergarten schemes. Organizations, groups and institutions, such as the Education Commission of the States or simply the ECS (Neal, 2006, p. 117), support the full day kindergarten. The shift from half day to all-day or whole day kindergarten session is not just merely an extension of time, nor was it a quantum leap in the learning experience for the kindergarten. Part of the change in session was the realization that teaching style, educational approach and learning perspectives should also change. It should focus more on the newfound consciousness regarding the learning ability of a child and the importance of maximizing it in the earliest possible time. Because of this, kindergarten changed. From focusing in learning through play in the past, the learning structure of kindergarten became more oriented in structured academic learning. This means that part of the learning experience included learning languages and mathematics as well as other things like color and shape cognition and identification, memorization skills, interpersonal skills, play, even good morals and conduct and religion in other kindergarten schools and institutions (Persky, Golubchick, 1991, p. 263). â€Å"These early kindergarten programs focused on the basic concept that child’s play was significant and that when it was intelligently directed gave impetus to cognitive development (Persky, Golubchick, 1991, p. 263). † From this point, the perspective changed and focused more on academic learning. This move towards change was hinged on the scientific discovery regarding the brain of the child and how in that stage the brain should begin the experience of being harnessed. When the individual grows up and matures, he or she will possess the mental capacity for competitive and capable learning and is suitable for more advanced learning in the future. Today’s full day kindergarten, despite its admirable background and history, is nonetheless facing many different problems as well as criticisms. Professionals involved in this field undertake many different studies to be able to find answers to these problems and to address the different criticisms hurled at the practice of full-day kindergarten. a. Studies regarding all day kindergarten – Authors like Cryan (1992) and Elicker and Mathur (1997) provide the people with materials they can read and refer to when considering full day kindergarten scheme and their opinion about it (Cryan, 1992, p. 187; Elicker and Marthur 1997, p. 459). These authors as well as many other authors have come up with results of studies, research and analysis tackling this matter both in books as well as in peer reviewed journals. Psychologists and educators appear to have undertaken intensive study and research efforts regarding the different aspects of all-day kindergarten so that they can discover new information regarding this practice that can help in determining what new course of action to take with regards to the full-day kindergarten scheme. There are currently numerous published works as well as books and even internet articles about the results of studies and research efforts focused on full day kindergarten. In general, the content of these materials stand in two polar regions. There are those that attest to the positive impact of this scheme; while on the other hand, there are those who present criticisms as well as new areas of investigation which they believe is important. These realms that they identified remain unexplored. This means that full day kindergarten scheme cannot be considered to be fully ideal and suitable, not until all areas of inquiry and possible sources of problem are identified, studied and resolved. b. Criticisms and problems – The full day kindergarten scheme was not without criticisms as well as its own set of problems. Parents are one of the most important groups that can strengthen or derail the progress and practice of full day kindergarten. They also became sources of important criticisms and arguments regarding full day kindergarten scheme. One of the most basic areas of standoff resulting to criticisms of this scheme is the resulting tug of war between parents who want two different things for their children – those who want to keep kindergarten at half day while those who wanted schools to shift to whole day or full day kindergarten (Lerner, Jacobs, Wertlieb, 2003, p. 202). â€Å"The introduction of full day kindergarten more than a decade ago has brought to a head an ongoing controversy between parents who want half day program and those who want the full day program (Lerner, Jacobs, Wertlieb, 2003, p. 202). † Some parents point out that despite what scientific research claims as the ideal learning time and opportunity, a child is presented and should be exposed to at that age. Parents argue and reason that scientific research, on the other hand, has not fully answered the query regarding the effect to the children of being removed from their biological parents for that long period of time. They still could not explain the effects as well as possible problems that can arise when children are constantly under the care of someone they do not know and does not know the child, even with the fact that they are certified professional and capable educators (Lerner, Jacobs, Wertlieb, 2003, p. 202). â€Å"Parents†¦ look at kindergarten in the traditional way and regard full day away from home as too much time for a 5-year old to spend in the care of a non parental adult (Lerner, Jacobs, Wertlieb, 2003, p. 202). † There are also those who pointed out that full day kindergarten does not automatically mean dramatic change in learning and development. The main supporting ideas for the establishment of this kind of approach to kindergarten education is about the scientific claims on improved and increased brain development via academic stimulation. Part of the equation (and an important part) is curriculum, teaching styles and methods as well as other equally important factors like teacher competency, environment. Eden (2008) pointed out in a book that â€Å"providing a full day program for four year olds, for example, has much merit, but not if what is provided is simply watered-down first-grade curriculum (Eden, 2008, p. 214). † Conclusion The work of the forerunners of the concept of kindergarten has come a long way. Today, it is something that appears to have evolved significantly over time, with many different important changes. This includes the change happening during the 90s – the shift from half day to full day kindergarten school time. Like many complex issues in the society, the debate over which between half day and full day kindergarten scheme is better. There is also a debate if full day kindergarten schedule by itself and outside of comparison is ideal for children and their welfare is a topic that is not easily answerable by a yes or a no. There are many gray areas and dark areas that are yet to be discovered and explored so that more answers are available for people to use in this particular decision and position. Nonetheless, the brain development and its connection to education in early childhood is an important breakthrough that can impact education for years. As for kindergarten, the newfound scientific perspective has made it clear that even the humble and previously seemingly non-bearing educational experience which is kindergarten appears to be, after all, something that holds a significant importance in the mental development of the individual. This is something that professionals should look on and design carefully in the future, for the benefit of the child above anyone else. References Cryan, J. (1992). Success outcomes of full day kindergarten: More positive behavior and increased achievement in the years after. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 2, 187-203. Eden, S. T. (2008). Play Works: Helping Children Learn Through Play. Indiana: Author House. Elicker, J. and Mathur, S. (1997). What do they do all they? Comprehensive evaluation of a full-day kindergarten. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 4, 459-480. Handelman, M. S. and Auerbach, J. J. (2000). Jewish Every Day: The Complete Handbook for Early Childhood Teachers. Colorado: Behrman House, Inc. Lerner, R. M. , Jacobs, F. and Wertlieb, D. (2003). Handbook of applied developmental science: promoting positive child, adolescent, and family development through research, policies, and programs, Volume 1. California: SAGE. Miller, J. and Gore, A. (2007). The Compassionate Community: Ten Values to Unite America. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. Neal, R. G. (2006). The Deserved Collapse of Public Schools. Indiana: Author House. Persky, B. and Goubchick, L. , H. (1991). Early Childhood education. Maryland: University Press of America. How to cite Brain research and full day kindergarten, Essays

Friday, December 6, 2019

Effective Management and Case Analysis of H&M- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theEffective Management and Case Analysis of HM. Answer: Introduction The changes in the trends of the global structure due to the globalization that the world faces, fashion too have faced the same. The fashion industry has developed depending on the needs and requirements of the consumers globally. People around the world have become increasingly conscious about the upcoming trends (Farid Cerna de Ramirez, 2013). The companies have emerged that takes the best effort in satisfying the needs and requirements of the clients globally. People throughout the world have become increasingly conscious about the suitability and the diversity of the fashion trends relating to their choices. Companies like HM, Zara, Gap Inc. and the like have conquered the market considerably with their share of contribution towards the fashion industry and the evolving and the trends. The report concentrates on HM and the important aspects of the undertakings of the company based on its model of management and the diversity in the business operation sit undertakes in order to make it a more competitive contender in the market (Giertz-Mrtenson, 2012). Moreover, its policies play an important part in understanding the authenticity of its management system, which is being discussed in the report that follows. The report aims at understanding the clear concepts of proficient management undertaken by the company. The report also focuses in understanding the policies that the company sets and legislations that it formulates in order to safeguard the interests of the human resource. Purpose The purpose of this report is to determine the aspects of internal management that the company undertakes in order to safeguard the interests of its shareholders and the workers at large. The company formulates laws and legislation, which helps in the proper management of the company and in determining the long-term goals of the organization. This report gives an overview of the undertakings of the company and helps in determining the condition of the market. The undertakings of the company The company undertakes activities that help in improving and innovating fashion for the world. Moreover, it helps in obtaining fashionable wear at an affordable price. The company does not own any factory and therefore it buys its products from different suppliers, coming from the production countries mainly Asia and Europe (Ehrsam, 2016). The company contributes to the national income by creating job opportunities for many people in the nation. It also helps in the development of the industrial sector of the concerned nations. The undertakings of the company relating to the welfare and management of the human resource are being determined by the subsections of this report. Diverse range of Business settings in HM Job Ability The job ability of the company is based on the effectiveness and the active participation of the workforce. The participation of the workforce is based on the remuneration they receive from the company and the employment retention rate that the company holds for its employees. The HM group facilitates the requirements of over hundred thousand employees globally, and aims at creating diversity among the groups of its employees. Diversity in the workforce helps in innovating new concepts and ideas that help in maintaining the smooth productivity of the company. Employees are considered as an important and an integral part of the company. The job ability of the company depends on the devices that are framed by the organization and the ways in which the company can keep the employees motivated and get the job done out of them. Motivation he employees and the shareholders in the company are being motivated by the grants that the company enumerates for its better and smooth functioning. The company has a open-door policy through which the employees can directly discuss the work related issues an d convey the messages to their management or the higher authorities (Uriarte Elizaga, 2016). It facilitates a motivation among the employees as the autonomic barrier is being removed and helps in identifying the employees with the functioning of the management. Moreover, the confidence of the employees is elevated due to this policy of the company. This policy also helps in reducing the rumors, which might have a diverse effect on the internal communication system of the company. The rewards that the company holds for their employees also helps in keeping the workforce motivated. It focuses on rewarding people with most responsibilities and opportunities to improve their individual careers. There are other remuneration and incentive plans for the workforce that helps in keeping the people focused and motivated in maintaining their respective job role. The company makes use of the Expectancy theory through which the company aims at keeping the employees motivated and focused. Under this theory, the company exerts high level efforts in order to develop gradually. This performance is monitored through regular review sessions of the performance and constant motivation from the employers side. From the employees point of view they gain knowledge under that pressure that the company exerts on them, making them eligible for the desirable designation. Reward Systems The concerned company takes care of the benefits that the employees desire to derive from the company (Woods, 2017). The company offers comprehensive rewards structure and follows it invariably. The rewards include discounts on commodities, incentives and the sick pay in the private healthcare and the pension schemes. , which the the company provides to every individuals. The company does not consider the titles, the surnames, or the pay structure as the motivational tools in the management of the employees but the job satisfaction that the employees derive after being associated with the company. The company holds a framework of the reward structure of the employees with greater emphasis on the relational awards. There are monetary benefits too that are being ushered by the company on the employees. Employment relation and health and safety legislation The employees have a direct relation with the company based on the remuneration they receive and the service they provide in order to achieve the common goal of the organization (Jin Cedrola, 2016). The employees fall under the direct legislations and the policies that the company formulates. Moreover, not only the company faces the change in the rate of the demand but also by its employees face the consequences of the profit and the loss incurred by the company. The .open door policy that the company holds ensures a transparency in the organizational structure and the empowerment of the employees. The safety legislative acts that the company incorporates keeping in mind the welfare of the organization helps in maintaining the employee-employer relation and therefore finally helps in retaining the workforce of the company (Shen, 2014). The legislative acts that the company incorporates include acts based on the safety of the employees and the perpetual development of the acts. The building safety act refers to the safety challenges that are emphasized on by the suppliers and other business partners ensuring the safety of the employees falling under the category. Hazardous elements and buildings are considered in this act. It ensures the safety of the employees in the context. The fire safety is a considerable step taken by the organization in order to ensure the safety of the employees. The involvement of the fire fighting devices and emergency exits being marked properly is the basis of good management and precautionary practices that the company undertakes (Li et al., 2014). Evacuation through the emergency exits and regular drills that helps in making the evacuation successful in the crisis hour is an important step that is undertaken by the company in order to make the employees aware of the evacuation procedure. The company also undertakes a first aid campaign and makes use of the steps proactively so that no members of the staff are injured, thereby safeguarding the health of its employees. Performance management models Growth and development has been an important factor in this company. The perpetual growth factor in this company motivates the employees in performing their respective job role effectively (Ci, Park Kim, 2017). Moreover, with the on-going changes in the environment and the changes in the taste and preference pattern of the consumers worldwide, increasing number of people are opting for this sector. Growth in designations and the remunerations that the employee receives from the company is the major factor that influences the employees active participation in the functioning of the business. On the other hand, from a different point of view, the companys contribution towards the development of the national income is an important aspect that is to be noted. The company undertakes several recruitments that help in the development of the national income of the country and the people to develop their status of living (Campaign, 2015). The sustenance of the indigenous practices undertaken by the company is basically due to the involvement in bringing about the development of the economies. Moreover, the company does not manufacture any goods that they sell. Therefore, the suppliers who supply the goods and commodities to the company also develop along with the advancements of the company. The nations to which the suppliers belong to also are improved due to the transactions that are taken place due to the export of the goods to the company (Turker Altuntas, 2014). Remuneration and incentives are not the only appraisal the company has got for its employees. The change in the designation and the gradual growth and detainment of the workforce is the kind of appraisal undertaken by the company. Moreover, in order to keep the people motivated and focused on their respective job role, the company has undertaken functions and procedures to encourage the employees. The company has formulated certain disciplinary components that help in the proper management of the organization. Discipline is the key to all successful enterprises; therefore, in order to excel in the market and avoid all sorts of rumors that might affect the brand name of the organization has framed certain laws through which the company might monitor over the disciplinary actions of the employees (Sandybayev Nicosia, 2015). The company has provided the employees with the Whistle Blowing policy- a platform where the employees can report of any malpractices referring to bribery or the fraudulent activities in maintaining the accounts of the company, being noticed by them in the work place. The Whistle Blowing Policy buy the company ensures that the company acts according to the legislation, in accordance with the Swedish Personal Data Act. Findings The section of the report concentrates on the strengths and weaknesses of the concerned organization. The policies of the organization referring to the safety and the security of the employees, the remuneration and the equal employment opportunities can be taken as the considerable strengths of the company. The company supports the involvement of diversity in its workforce thus making it more creative and innovative at the same time that helps in improving the market condition of the company (Regnr Yildiz, 2014). The diversity also helps in the emergence of new concepts and ideas as people from different regions come together to form a team and work according to the specializations accordingly. The weaknesses of the company can be termed due to the mismanagement of the policies and the lack of proper monitoring that led to the violation of one of its policy in Vietnam, according to a report that was filed previously. The company prohibits child labor and restricts the involvement of the children in the workforce. The report stated differently, when the workforce in the companys Vietnam branch was loaded with children below the age of fourteen (Baldassarre Campo, 2014). This is a serious setback for the company, affecting the brand name of the organization as the report clearly portrays the mismanagement in the internal structure of the company. Due to the lack of proper monitoring of the activities taking place in the branches, the incident took place. Recommendations The company aims at making the fashionables available to market at a comparatively lower price. Maybe this is because the company does not undertake any production, so they can easily skip the cost of production and the cost of the raw materials does not gets involved majorly in their schedule helping them to be the sole distributors of the fashion items to the world (Morgan, 2017). The proper legislative actions that the company undertakes determines the effectiveness of the management it undertakes. The company has formulated many policies in order to make sure that child labor is restricted, but proper monitoring of the procedure is an important step after implementation (Manzini, 2016). The company should carefully monitor not only child labor, but also the other policies in order to undertake the smooth and effective management procedure. It also helps in the progress of the company by achieving the long-term goals of the organization. References Baldassarre, F., Campo, R. (2014). Child labor and business ethics: The approach of apparel companies.ADVANCES IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT. Towards Systemic Approach, 154. Campaign, C. C. (2015). Clean Clothes Campaign response to agreement between HM and IndustriALL. Ci, C., Park, S., Kim, B. (2017, July). DIFFERENCES IN THE BRANDING STRATEGY OF THE BIG 3 SPA BRANDS: ZARA, UNIQLO, AND HM. In2017 Global Fashion Management Conference at Vienna(pp. 65-66). Ehrsam, M. (2016).Is green the new black?: the impact of sustainability on brand: Conscious Fashion, a case study on HM(Doctoral dissertation). Farid, B., Cerna de Ramirez, C. (2013). An analysis of the consumer knowledge, expectations and perspective towards CSRHM Sweden. Giertz-Mrtenson, I. (2012). HMdocumenting the story of one of the world's largest fashion retailers.Business history,54(1), 108-115. Jin, B., Cedrola, E. (2016). Overview of fashion brand internationalization: theories and trends. InFashion Brand Internationalization(pp. 1-30). Palgrave Macmillan US. Li, Y., Zhao, X., Shi, D., Li, X. (2014). Governance of sustainable supply chains in the fast fashion industry.European Management Journal,32(5), 823-836. Manzini, G. (2016). From HM to Gap for Lightweight BWT Merging.arXiv preprint arXiv:1609.04618. Morgan, A. (2017). A Chronological literature review of Retail Internationalisation: From the 50s to the 00s-Towards a perspective of current market inclines in retail internationalisation 20102015. Regnr, P., Yildiz, H. E. (2014). HM in Fast Fashion: continued success?. Sandybayev, A., Nicosia, N. C. (2015). Competing in Volatile Markets through Analysis of Agile Supply Chain. Case of HM.Journal of Human and Social Science Research; Vol,6(02), 059-066. Shen, B. (2014). Sustainable fashion supply chain: Lessons from HM.Sustainability,6(9), 6236-6249. Turker, D., Altuntas, C. (2014). Sustainable supply chain management in the fast fashion industry: An analysis of corporate reports.European Management Journal,32(5), 837-849. Uriarte Elizaga, L. (2016). The contrast of fast fashion giants Zara, HM and Uniqlo. Woods, B. I. E. J. (2017). The battle of The Fashion Retail Giants to Capture Millennials: Examples from Boohoo, HM, New Look, Asos and Primark.Month.